COAST GUARD TO HONOR S.D. BAY RESCUER OF 4

The Coast Guard will honor a Los Angeles-area man today for helping save the lives of four people in San Diego Bay in March 2011.

John Campbell will be presented with the Certificate of Valor during a ceremony at Base Los Angeles-Long Beach. While sailing in the bay March 27, 2011, Campbell rushed to aid multiple people struggling in the water after their sailboat had capsized, the Coast Guard said.

Campbell dove into the water and tied a line between his boat and the capsized vessel. He then helped several people onboard his boat, including a mentally challenged teen and an elderly man who were clinging to the capsized sailboat. He also helped a mother and child onto another rescue vessel, authorities said.

Campbell stayed in the water until all 10 people from the other boat were accounted for and pulled out of the ocean.

“The Coast Guard is proud to honor Campbell … for his determined efforts and outstanding initiative that resulted in him single-handedly rescuing nearly half of the people thrown into San Diego Bay,” according to a Coast Guard statement.

Attempts to contact Campbell were unsuccessful.

NATHAN MAX • U-T

Marine pilot safely ejects before Ariz. crash

A Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from an AV-8B Harrier on Wednesday before the plane crashed about 15 miles northwest of Yuma Marine Corps Air Station in Arizona.

The pilot was taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center for observation. A rescue team was dispatched to recover the aircraft.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, a Marine Corps statement said.

Harrier jump jets, in service since 1969, are scheduled to be replaced by a version of the Joint Strike Fighter.